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Seattle launches 'Digital Bridge' program for low-income job seekers

Seattle's Office of Economic Development (OED) recently joined with Comcast and a variety of partners – including the Seattle Information Technology Department – to launch the Digital Bridge program, a pilot that provides low-income job seekers with free laptops and broadband connectivity to bolster their digital skills.

“While a device alone will not solve the vast inequalities that affect people of color and underserved communities, a reliable internet connection, technology skills, and access to a computer are critical to economic opportunity,” said Saad Bashir, the City of Seattle’s Chief Technology Officer.

Comcast contributed $50,000 to purchase 200 refurbished laptops from the computer recycling nonprofit InterConnection. In early July, the first cohort of participants, all people of color, received refurbished computers to use in an online workforce development program through the Seattle Jobs Initiative. OED is providing an additional $50,000 to evaluate and track the pilot project.

Seattle IT's Community Technology and Broadband Team provided essential technical assistance to the project, helping coordinate access to broadband, creating a channel for distributing the laptops, facilitating tech support for recipients, and developing a program evaluation plan.

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Tech News

How the COVID-19 pandemic pushed Seattle's IT modernization into overdrive - ZDNet

Seattle creates 'Digital Bridge' program for low-income job seekers - Smart Cities Dive

Seattle launches program to help get laptops, internet to low-income communities seeking jobs - Seattle PI

Meet one mom who is spear-heading the Family Tech Support center to assist students in online learning - The Evergrey

BIPOC founders disrupt tech bro narrative - South Seattle Emerald

As work and school shift online indefinitely, study finds 20% of King County lacks reliable internet - GeekWire

Pandemic threatens dominance of 'superstar' tech cities - GeekWire

Washington state offering $18M in grants and loans for internet infrastructure projects - GeekWire

Emerging tech gains ground as pandemic continues to spread - Government Technology